Punishing Parramatta Push To Grand Final

The Parramatta Eels have continued a fairytale run to become the first team into the 2009 Grand Final with a memorable 22-12 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs in front of a massive crowd of 74,549.

The four-try-to-two victory enables them to become the first ever team to make the big one from eighth position. This ends the career of the popular Bulldog Hazem El Masri.

The match started with a high intensity with Eel Fui Fui Moi Moi wrecking the Bulldogs defence. However the Bulldogs were the first to hit the board, a good series of passing ended up with Bryson Goodwin going over to score. It ended up being a possible eight point try with the referee putting Eels superstar Jarryd Hayne on report with a knock on Goodwin with the knees.

The two teams kept coming at each other before Parramatta finally found themselves on the board mid-way through the first half, Hayne going through amounts of Canterbury defence to send Joe Galuvao over for a rare try.

With the Eels on top they kept looking like they would score again before the break, instead Josh Morris somehow beat Jarryd Hayne to a loose ball in-goal to put his Bulldogs in front 12-6 at the break.

In the second half the Eels started well, again with a good series of passing it ended up with Luke Burt scoring his 100th career try. This pushed the score back to 12-10.

Minutes later Tim Mannah went over for his first career try following some good passing up the middle. Josh Morris almost scored a freakish second but just missed to set up an exciting final ten minutes.

In the 71st Eels forward Fui Fui Moi Moi made a break, sending the ball to Luke Burt to make some good ground, in the end the ball ended up with young Daniel Mortimer who scored the winning try to push the Bulldogs out of the finals series.

Mortimer, the son of Bulldogs legend Peter was up alongside the blue and gold army in the crowd. Nothing Canterbury could do would bring them back into the match.

The Eels have got their concerns for next week however. Nathan Cayless is most likely going to miss the match with a hamstring injury, whilst Matt Keating and Jarryd Hayne are both on report.

Toyota Cup Preliminary Final
The Wests Tigers will make their first Grand Final appearance in the Toyota Cup after a powerful 36-12 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons.

First Grade Preliminary Final
Have you ever seen a more anticipated match in your life???

Welcome to ANZ Stadium for what will be an amazing match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels. Keep in touch for what will be a memorable eighty minutes as these two sides play for a spot in the 2009 NRL Grand Final.

We're not far from getting underway tonight.

We're underway! Let's get it going!

2 min: Patten is down, accidentally hit in the head by Nathan Cayless' knee.

4 min: POSSIBLE BULLDOGS TRY
Bryson Goodwin may have scored in the corner after a great series of passing.

4 min: EIGHT POINT TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
Possible eight point try with Jarryd Hayne putting the knees in, and Goodwin is in for the first points. Goodwin looks gone as well. Conversion attempt by Hazem unsuccessful, but the second attempt was successful.
Canterbury Bulldogs 6-0

55 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
A great bit of passing from the Eels put the Parramatta side in front for the first time. Tim Mannah scores his first career try, well done to him! Conversion attempt by Luke Burt successful.
Parramatta Eels 16-12

CROWD: 74,549

62 min: Goodwin knocks on and goes down injured. Parra with a major shot.